Knit-woven diaper



G. T. GORE KNIT-WOVEN DIAPER 3 Sheets-Sheet l 1N VEN TOR.

GPflVE-S T GORE A TT'OANE K3 Dec. 21, 1965 a 3:? w mwwwwmwwmmfi l 0 Z 5 1 A m a Z J d e l 1 F Dec. 21, 1965 G. T. GORE 3,224,446

KNIT-WOVEN DIAPER Filed Jan. 50, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 o a? o INVENTOR a/mnes r GORE BY 4rranwfins' Dec. 21, 1965 G- T. GORE 3,224,446

KNIT-WOVEN DIAPER Filed Jan. 30, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

ATTOR/VEVJ' United States Patent Oflice Patented Dec. 21, 1965 3,224,446 KNIT-WOVEN DIAPER Graves T. Gore, 19 Ware St., Ware Shoals, S.C. Filed Jan. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 254,892 6 Claims. (Cl. 128284) The present invention relates to diapers, and more particularly to a diaper with a knitted center panel and woven side panels. This new diaper is soft, absorbent, and has elastic qualities.

An important feature of the diaper of this invention is the use of a center panel of knitted fabric together with two side panels or woven fabric, to form a diaper which incorporates the desirable qualities present in allknit and all-woven diapers and avoids the objectionable features of each.

The center panel may be specially knitted or napped or otherwise processed to increase its absorbency and softness. Its knitted construction gives sufficient elasticity to permit the diaper to be worn by babies of various ages. The narrow initial unstretched width of the diaper gives a neat fit for young infants, and the elasticity of the knitted fabric provides stretch and conformability for babies of different ages and sizes. The high absorbency of the knitted fabric center panel of the diaper of the present invention permits it to be made in the form of a pre-folded diaper without excessive bulk.

The woven side panels cause the diaper to retain its shape even after many launderings, as distinct from allknit diapers which tend to distort in shape during laundering. Also, the woven fabric provides a stable pinning area and thereby overcomes the objection of all-knit diapers for developing holes after repeated pinning.

The diaper of the present invention is formed by securing a center panel comprising one or more layers of knitted fabric, in either flat or tubular form, lengthwise between two side panels comprising one or more layers of woven material. The panels may be attached by any suitable fabricating method, such as sewing. The ends of the diaper may be left open to permit the insertion of removable absorbent material such as cotton batting, if desired. Alternatively, the ends may be closed by sewing.

The above and other features of the diaper of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following more detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pre-folded diaper comprising birdseye weave side panels and a knitted jersey center panel, with one end turned up to show the reverse side.

FIG. 2 is a view taken along lines 2--2 of FIG. 1, showing the two ply woven side panels, and the two ply knitted center panel of plain jersey.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a diaper having woven side panels and a knitted terry cloth center panel with a part broken away in the top layer to show the underneath side.

FIG. 4 is a plan View of a diaper having a knitted fleece-like center panel and birdseye weave side panels with a part broken away to Show the underneath side.

FIG. 5 is a view taken along lines 55 of FIG. 3, indicating the multiple layers in side and center panels.

FIG. 6 is a view taken along lines 66 of FIG. 4, indicating the multiple layers in side and center panels.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a diaper having a single ply knitted terry center panel and woven birdseye side panels.

FIG. 8 is a view taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 7 in- 'ng the multiple layers in the side panels and the er in the center panel.

plan view of a diaper having woven side r ply, ribbed knit center panel, with the .er panel being closed.

FIG. 10 is a view taken along lines 88 of FIG. 9, indicating the multiple layers in side and center panels.

The diaper 10 of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 1, comprises woven side portions 12, here shown in birdseye weave, and a knitted center portion 14. As shown in FIG. 2, the side portions 12 comprise two pieces of woven fabric which are folded along their longitudinal axes and placed between the two plies 16 and 18 of knitted jersey which comprise the center portion of the diaper. The woven side portions and knitted center portion are then secured together by sewing.

The knitted center panel of the diaper of the present invention may be ribbed jersey, or it may have a terry or fieeced finish to increase absorbency and softness. The special finish may be only on the outer faces 20 and 22 of center panels 32 and 34, as in FIGS. 3 and 4, with inner faces 24 and 26 of plain jersey, or it may be on both faces as in FIG. 7.

As stated above, the knitted center panel of the diaper may be multi-layered, as illustrated by FIGS. 3 and 4. In FIG. 3, the diaper 19 comprises woven birdseye side panels 28 and 30, and knitted center panel 32. The center panel 32 is of two ply construction, with a terry cloth finish on the outer faces 20, the inner faces 24 being of ribbed jersey. In FIG. 4, the two ply center panel 34 is fieeced on the outer faces 22, and plain jersey on the inner faces 26.

The embodiment of the present invention illustrated by FIGS. 3 and 5 is fabricated as follows: Two strips 28 and 30 of woven birdseye fabric of the desired size are folded along their longitudinal axes. A narrow portion at each end of the woven strips is then folded under and sewed to form seams as shown at 36 in FIG. 3. Next, two pieces of knitted terry cloth material of the desired dimensions are folded under at each end and sewed to form seams as indicated at 38 in FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, the open longitudinal edges of the woven strips 28 and 30 are then inserted between the plies 40 and 42 of the knitted center panel 32 a sufficient distance to permit formation of secure seams 44 and 46. The finished diaper of this construction has no raw edges or rough seam areas that will come in contact with the babys skin.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a diaper 33 as in FIG. 4, with a two ply knitted center panel 34 with fleeced outer faces.

A diaper 48 comprising woven side strips 50 and 52 and a knitted, single ply, terry cloth center panel 54 is shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. This diaper is fabricated as follows: Two strips of woven fabric 50 and 52 are folded along their longitudinal axes. The longitudinal edges of the knitted terry center panel 54 are then inserted between the two plies of the woven strips 50 and 52, and secured to form seams 60 and 62. If desired, a strip of binder tape 64 may be sewed across the ends 66 and 68 of the diaper to cover the raw edges of the side and center panels.

In FIG. 9, a diaper 70 with woven birdseye side panels 72 and 74, and a four ply, ribbed knit center panel 76 is shown. The ends of the center panel 76 are closed by stitched seams 78 and 80.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a diaper 70, as shown in FIG. 9, comprising two woven birdseye panels 82 and 84 and a four ply, ribbed knit center panel 86.

As stated above, the knitted center panel of the diaper of the present invention may be plain jersey, terry cloth, or fleeced. It may be formed of flat or tubular material and may have one or more plies.

What is claimed is:

1. A diaper comprising a center portion of soft absorbent stretchable knitted material and two side portions of woven material extending transversely outwardly from opposite sides of said center portion, said center portion comprising a plurality of separate plies of knitted material, said side portions comprising a plurality of plies of woven material having inner and outer longitudinal edges, said inner edges being sandwiched between the separate plies of said center portion, said center portion and said side portions being substantially the same length and secured together along the sandwiched longitudinal edges thereof to form a generally rectangular diaper, said knitted center portion providing lateral stretchability throughout said diaper suflicient to accommodate the size of the diaper to different size infants, and said side woven portions providing stability and strength to the diaper to enable repeated pinnings without deterioration and repeated launderings without curling or distortion of the diaper.

2. A diaper, as set forth in claim 1, in which said center portion is formed of knitted terry cloth.

3. A diaper, as set forth in claim 1, in which said center portion is formed or ribbed knit material.

4. A diaper comprising a center portion of soft absorbent stretchable knitted material and two side portions of woven material extending transversely outwardly from opposite sides of said center portion, said side portions comprising a plurality of plies of woven material having inner and outer longitudinal edges, said center portion comprising a single ply of knitted material sandwiched between the inner edges of the plies of said side portions, said center portion and said side portions being substantially the same length and secured together along the sandwiched longitudinal edges thereof to form a generally rectangular diaper, said knitted center portion providing lateral stretchability throughout said diaper suificient to accommodate the size of the diaper to diflerent size infants, and said side woven portions providing stability and strength to the diaper to enable repeated pinnings without deterioration and repeated launderings without curling or distortion of the diaper.

5. A diaper, as set forth in claim 4, in which said center portion is formed of knitted terry cloth.

6. A diaper, as set forth in claim 4, in which said center portion is formed of ribbed knit material.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,980,666 11/1934 Crompton l39303 2,508,811 5/1950 Best et a1. 128284 2,695,615 11/1954 Del Guercio 128-287 2,788,786 4/1957 Dexter 128-284 2,991,786 7/1961 Sullivan 128--284 3,045,675 7/1962 Brown 128284 FOREIGN PATENTS 289,358 7/ 1953 Switzerland.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,224,446 December 21, 1965 Graves T. Gore It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the grant, lines 1 to 3, for "Graves T. Core, of Ware Shoals, South Carolina" read Graves T. Gore, of Ware Shoals, South Carolina, assignor to Riegel Textile Corporation, a corporation of Delaware, line 12, for "Graves T. Gore, his heirs" read Riegel Textile Corporation, its successors in the heading to the printed specification, line 3, for "Graves T. Gore, 19 Ware St., Ware Shoals, S. C." read Graves T. Gore, Ware Shoals, S. C. assignor to Riegel Textile Corporation, a corporation of Delaware column 1, line 13, for "or" read of Signed and sealed this 4th day of October 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A DIAPER COMPRISING A CENTER PORTION OF SOFT ABSORBENT STRETCHABLE KNITTED MATERIAL AND TWO SIDE PORTIONS OF WOVEN MATERIAL EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OUTWARDLY FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CENTER PORTION, SAID CENTER PORTION COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE PLIES OF KNITTED MATERIAL, SAID SIDE PORTIONS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PLIES OF WOVEN, MATERIAL HAVING INNER AND OUTER LONGITUDINAL EDGES, SAID INNER EDGES BEING SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE SEPARATE PLIES OF SAID CENTER PORTION, SAID CENTER PORTION AND SAID SIDE PORTIONS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME LENGTH 